Animal trap



Jan. 9, 192& 1,441,998

B. PARKER. ANIMAL TRAP. HLED APR.26. 1921.

iii-w:

BENJAMIN retiree) our ant /r tu n Wnerren .auereatiat i isreatmt annual. "rear.

T0 (til whom it meg concern:

Be it known that I," BiiNJAMiNLPannier, a subject of the TZingot Great Britaii'i, residing at Braeside, Kehnscott, l' ilestern Ans tralia Commonwealth of rtustralia have in vented certain new and useful improve-- ments in Animal Traps, of which the tollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to traps .andpth'e primary object of the same is topurovide a device of this class of an effective and reliable character for trapping animalfand bird pestaasuch as rats, n'iice iivild doga, parrots andhogs. A further object of the invention is to provide avtrap which, after it has been primarilymanually set operates in an automatic manner by the animator bird entering the same and resulting in a seliiimprisoninent of the trapped. animal ,or bird. as Well. as a resetting of thetrapinreceptive condition for entrance thereinto of another pest. of the type specified.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several, pitI'tFS-Wl1l0lIl will be more fully hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

in the drawings: i i

1. is atop plan view of atrap enibodyint? the it'eatu res showii ig the root or top covering removed;

big. 2 is a sectionalperspective vie v of the improved trap, the roof or top cover beling partially shown in place thereon and the trap set for entrancethereinto otananimal or bird. v v i The improved trap comprises a receiving enclosi'ire 5, an imprisoning enclosure ti, a connecting passageway 7 between the two enclosures, and a door or gate-=8 automatt cally operative to; control the entrance to; the

receiving; enclosure S and thepassage of the trapped animal or bird from the latterenclosure into the passage 7 and eventually into the imprieoning enclosure G. The side walls 9 and 10 oi? the receivingenclosurefi diverge from a rear closed end it to an entrance opening 12 with Which the door or ate 8 coo ierates. The door or gate 8 is hinged to a post or support l3 atone side of the entrance to the passage]? from the receiving enclosure 5, this door or gate being I Whenithe said door or gate is released from of the invention and oprir position it i will automatically swing to closed positionas vshmvntby Fig. l. The side and end Walls 1.4, 15 and 16 of the iniprisoning enclosurehereof the same VGI'T1T7 calge ent as tlieiwallsfi, 10 and lief-there- CGIVlDQ'QHClGSIWE.5 1L116 Walls latiand 15 :lOfl .ing preterably pamllel. The. pasea gevviay 7 is provided bya vertical mall 17 angularly intersectin the terminal of the. one side wall love-f the, receiving enclosure ,5: and by -il1lI1fiX;W&1l 18 angailarly intersecting the of the impigisoningnenclosure 6, attending only part Way across t theienclosuretfi and havinga lungitudinal partition i H1119 singularlydetersectingthe same an d spaced rointheysijtlejw ll 15 ot itheenclosuret; to form a passageiflt) which fully opens at O end-into the rearportion of the passage? end ar itsi opposite end ,intoithe saiden lesur 6 Tbewaiis OTIhlliQKGBlVlng nd impri ening enclc uresnr adapted to have roiot' or cover vva tively applied thereover and; uleoover an angular encl i c" mechnn tm ndivhiuh ormed by the \valli 17 a,portion;ot theg vall 10and an angular or fiiag cieai yshqwnfinddlig;1 The pat that itsi it'ree edge with flange 25, and ii d tothie an ang lax: W i a idof th "vall filatithei The t l opening 112-,

re23 for part Diddle work t 2 i m n y errl ed; gain v h pn ally arrangedijwall Q l -as e S is also i outer side ot the (loom o-iygatefiand has its fiinner entreinity angularly bent-inwardly, at 27, and movable through a slet 28 iiornied nvt iee .de i 1 sate, th i n r een of theabelt being-shaped as a connecting hoolt 29.

Th moi/n bb mechanism. compr e a L ead. pla e 30, mounted n t a bottom o J the receiving enclosure adj acent to i the rearcl oseden d-ll of the latt-er the said plate 30 v being pivoted, asat 31, cut to the base of; the side ivall Eta-nil 1 ext ding across the i receiving;,enclosure-i and: having as free end projectingpver a locking tripled 32 extending subs antially longitudinally, of the receiving ch nber: 5 and formed with i a crank 33 inountedin a suitable bearing 3% at a distanceirearvvardlytroni the plate 30 and tern ting in an angular counterpoise hich isposi-tioned as shown by F Q vhen -the trappis primarily manuallyset. Adjaceu to thetreadfit) isa bait ii box 36 of suitable structure in which any desirable form of bait may be placed for plate 37 and is continuous with a longitudinalmember 40 having an intern'iediate crank 41- mounted in a bearing 12 at a suit able elevation in the Wall 18, the forward free end of the arm 40 being provided with a counterpoise weight 4L3. This arm 39 continuous'with the longitudinal member 40 having the intermediate crank 4E1 operates to raise the tread plate to normal position after it has been depressed and the weight of the animal or bird relieved there from, and whereby the rear elevated extremity ofthe tread plate 37 is normally maintained at an elevation a considerable dis tance above the bottom of the passage 20. In the passage 20 is an upwardly inclined block 44 which is essentially of wedge shape and has its reduced end at the entrance to said passage, or at the point where the passage 2O communicates with or opens into the rear portion of thepassage 7. At its outer extremity the-block 44' has a flat surface 45 with which the lower free end of a swinging looped wire gate 16 has engagement, so as to maintain the said gate at a downward and outward angle of inclination. The gate 46 has side members at? fulcrumed at a suitable elevation above the block 44 in the partition wall 19 and the one side wall 15 of the imprisoning enclosure 6.

' The object of tlie gate 46 is to prevent an animal or bird passing the same into the impris'oning enclosure 6 from returning into the passageway'7. I i

The door or gate 8 and the slide bolt 26 are operated through the medium of the actuation of the tread plate 37 by the animal or bird moving over the latter, and beneath the'said tread plate 37' near the hinged pivot or fulcrum therefor a crank shaft or rod 48 is mounted in a suitable bearing means 49 secured on the floor-of the passageway 7, said crank shaft or rod 48 having an arm 50 extending upwardly under and normally engaging the under side of the tread'plate 37 in advance of the engagement with said plate of the arm 39. The opposite extremity of the crank shatter rod 48- is formed as a crank arm'51 which has a right-zmgular bearing terminal 52 toloosely engage a gate operating rod 53 having a lower angular ex- ,tr'emity 54 held bya suitable bearing 55 which the said angular extremity has movegulur arm 3:3 and ready for a mar or '1 Lea-1,998

ment, the angular extremity being continued into a counterpoise or weighted angular member 56. The gate operating rod 53 has unrestricted movement through a slot 57 formed in the portion of the side wall l of the receiving enclosure 5 adjacent to and intersecting the forward terminal of the wall 17. The upper end of the rod 53 is hooked or bent, as at 58, to interlock with the inner hooked extremity or terminal 29 o: the bel 26. The rod 58 not only normally extends upwardly at an angle of inclination towards the door or gate 8 and is connected to the inner end or extremity ol? the bolt 26, but also has a general diagonal disposition, and always engaging the outer portion of this rod 53 is the angular bearing terminal 52 of the crank 51 formed as a part of the crank shaft or rod 48.

is hereinbeifore set forth, the trap primarily manually set after suitable bait has been deposited in the box 30. In setting the trap the door or to S is lirst released manually by sliding the bolt rearwurdly there over and pushing the door or gate inwardly, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig, .1, and causing the outer iree end of the trip rod 3?; whit-h is suitably bent as at 59, to engage the liange This adjustment of the trip rod IE2 is accomplished through manual operation o l the tread plate 30, and after the door or gate 8 has been'thus locked open, it will stand across the entrance to the passageway 7 and at the same time the operating rod 53 will occupy the [ms 1, shown by Fig. 2 and at which time the boh 26 will be fully drawn ill\\'2tlflll A l'ler the trap has thus been primarily set, the entrance of an animal or bird into the receiving enclosure 5 to reach the bait in the box 36 effects a release of the door or gate 8, in View of the fact that the animal or bird must pass over the tread plate 30 and depress the latter, thereby turning the trip rod it) sutli ciently to disengage the end 59 lhereo'l from the flange 25 ol the said door or gait. and owing to the manner of hanging the door or gate hereinbetore explained it will antomatically close and the rod 53 grznluully follows the gate and assumes tle position shown by Fig. 1, and just as the door or gate is closed the bolt will be moved out wurdly and lork the door or gale against inward opening movement. The door or gate will remain in this locked condition as long as the bird or animal remains in the receiving chamber The movement of the bird or animal fruit: the trend plate [20. which will be caused by the habit of the animal o bird Li cause the rod (33 to be autody reset through the rounlerpoise an the bent end 59 oi? the said ro whrn tilt door or ejute afterwards opened. The unid iinding all egress ol' esrupe eu oil will naturally enter the passage 7 and move upwardly over the tread plate 3?, thereby depressing the latter and again operating the rod 53 to draw inwardly on the bolt 26 and release the door or gate and the continuous rrawing action on the said rod will also result in a full opening movement oil? the door or gate and re-engagen1rent therewith oi. the bent end 59 of the trip rod The animal or bird moving rearwardly over the tread plate Eliwill depress the latter at its rear extremity against the resistance of the counterpoise in connection therewith hereinbeiore explained, and from this tread plate the bird or animal will enter the passage 2t) and open. the gravitating gate 4L6 and eventually become imprisoned in the en closure 6. The opening of the door or gate while the animal is in the passage 7 will also operate to close the said passage, so that the animal or bird cannot return to the enclosure 5, and the operation of the gate automatically by the animal or bird within the trap together with the parts cooperating with the gate will induce the animal to move forward and seek what may be instinctively supposed to be an outlet. This operation of the improved trap will be repeated automatically by the animals or birds entering the same and becoming trapped or imprisoned in the enclosure 6. At suitable intervals the trapped animals or birds may be removed trom the chamber 6 and also the bait replenished in the box 36 whenever found nec essary. lit will be understood that when the plate 37 is lowered by the weight oi? an anima l or bird thereon, the crank shait or rod at will be operated and similarly actuate the crank arm 51 and angular terminal 52 thereof, hereinbefore explained.

l i hat claimed as new is:

1. ln a trap of the class specified, the combination of a receiving enclosure for temporary confinement of a trapped animal, an imprisoning enclosure adjacent to and having communication with the said receiving enclosure, an automatically opera-ting closing gate hinged at one side to swing inwardly and outwardly and carrying auto matically movable locking means at the op posite side and applied to the inlet of the receiving enclosure and when open shutting oil communieation between the receiving and ijmprisoning enclosures, and means for automatically opening, holding and auto matically releasing and effecting a closing movement of the gate, said means being operable by the trapped animal passing into the receiving enclosure and from the latter to the imprisoning enclosure to effect the alti-zrnate closing and openii'ig movements of the gate.

in a trap of the class specified, the combination of a receiving enclosure for temporary confinement ot a trapped animal,

an imprisoning enclosure adjacent to and having a passage in coniniunication with said receiving enclosure, an automatically operating closing gate having hinge devices connected to one side and out oi": plumb,the gate being applied to the inlet of the receiving enclosure and when open closing communietion between. the receiving andv imprisoniig enclosures, locking means for holding the open and provided with trip devices in the receiving enclosure to release the gate and permit the latter to antomatically close and open communication with the imprisoning closure means in said passage and engaging the gate to ettiiect a release and automatic closure of said passage by the gate, and freely movable means cooperating with the imprisoning enclosure for preventing the trapped animal from returning to the receiving enclosure after the animal passes into the imprisoning enclosure.

lin a trap oi? the class specified, the combination of a receiving enclosure for temporary confinement of a trapped animal, an imprisoning enclosure adjacent to and having a passage in communication with the receiving enclosure, an automatically operating gate disposed at the entrance to the receiving enclosure and having a sliding lock bolt, means for holding the gate open and including trip means in the receiving enclosure for releasing the gate and permitting the latter to have a self-closing movement, a tilting plate in the passage to the imprisoning enclosure, mechanism connected to the gate in part located in said. passage and operable to release the bolt Oil the gate and eltect automatic opening movement of the gate, and a further swinging gate in a part oi the imprisoning enclosure to prevent return oi the trapped animal to the receiving enclosure.

4. in a trap cit the class specified, a re ceiving enclosure having an automatically operating gate at the entrance thereinto,the gate being hinged at one side and arranged to swing inwardly at an upward angle of inclination to eitlect an automatic closure of the gate when released, means in the receiving enclosure for holding the gate open and also tier releasing the same, locking means applied to the gate, an imprisoning eiu-losure adjacent to and having a passage in communication with the receiving enclosure, at tilting plate mounted in the said passage, lever mechanism between the tilting plate and the locking means of the gate to release said locking means through the weight oi? the trapped animal for resetting the trap by opening the receivii'ig enclosure and means i i the 'niprisoning enclosure for preventing the trap i ual from returning to the said paw-age and the receiving enclosure also for effecting an opening movement of the gate by the trapped animal for the purpose of re-setting the trap for entrance thereinto of another animal.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribin Witnesses.

BENJAMIN PARKER.

Vitnesses RICHARD SPARROW, FRED H. IJAMBER'I. 

